Turnout Boots to protect against mud fever.... good idea or not?

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lapetitebruyere

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My Appaloosa boy tends to get mud fever (especially when his sharer is not pulling her weight when it comes to checking him and looking after him - but she's gone now!) and I was wondering if it was worth considering PE Turnout boots? He is turned out 24/7, but brought in most days for riding and hard feed and haylege.

Has anyone had any experience of turnout boots? Worth it? Any reasons why you wouldn't like them?

Thanks
 
hi i used to use them and they are brilliant ,but they wouldnt be any good for 24hr turnout ,i think 12 hrs is max :)
 
archiepoo said:
hi i used to use them and they are brilliant ,but they wouldnt be any good for 24hr turnout ,i think 12 hrs is max :)
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Yeah, I was wondering about this... might get a pair for the really wet weather and then figure out when to put on and take off so they are not on longer than the recommended time.

Thanks for the heads up!
 
Hi

I used the Equilibrium ones and to be honest they were a nightmare.

As said above you can only use them for up to 12 hours, and iifc you need to be mud fever free before you start with them.
Then if there is ANY mud or water in your field you will need to wash and dry them EVERY single time you use them, or you'll end up putting v. cold & v. soggy boots back on.

I'd just invest in a few different barrier creams and see which one works best for you tbh, I stuck mine on eBay recently and got rid!
 
Thanks for that!!! I am now glad I asked! I will battle on with the creams and whatnot then. I was just on PE's website ordering a rug and saw the boots and thought they looked quite good.... but thanks for the practical feedback! I'll steer clear I think!
 
Hi I have a set of new equine wear turnout boots, there are really good but i've found it really important to keep them really clean, as in wash them as otfen as need eg everyday in my case my horse is young so does have a run in the field causing the boots to get totally muddy and they need to be washed I ahve met people who leave the mud to dry over night when the horse is in the only problem the mud often isn't dry putting wet muddy boots seem to more problem than good .Tthere brillant but do have the down side of washing alot and the price there are to buy (around 30pounds a pair ) I would recommend that buying the stable boots to put on afterwards are also key. I wash my horses feet everynight (if she's been out) hose the mud from the outside of her feet and towel dry and apply the stable boots.With how it is to look after a horse with mud fever i really had to make a invesment in the boots it's alot to pay out but if your having to get the out vet like i had to one vet bill pays for the boots in my case. Iv'e never tried leaving the boots for morse than around 10 hours but i wouldn't think leaving them on for more than that would be a good idea you coudl always try and see what happens ?
 
I used the sportabac boots with great success but ..

They must go on clean dry legs, they must fit properly and be put on low enough to cover the top inch of the foot to prevent mud wicking up inside and there is no way turnout boots could be left on 24/7.

I used them from 7ish to 4ish and put a clean set of 4 on everyday. They wash and dry well but I still needed 4 sets. Hose them off before throwing into the washing machine. They dry in a couple of hours in a warm room.

The good quality neoprene ones also provide a good degree of protection to the legs. My boy kicked out through a fence and the boot (wrecked) saved him from a very nasty injury.
 
Thanks for the advice! His mud fever is not the worst I have ever seen in my time... It was worse when my old sharer was messing me around.... I thought he was coming in and getting his legs seen to - I always slather on the pig oil to keep the mud fever at bay, and this seems to more or less work with him, but it turned out he was running in the muddy field for days on end without his legs being seen to. Lesson learned about having a young sharer!! I will see how he fares for the rest of this month and then consider boots. It's a good tip about having multiple sets... the schools are so boggy that I even need a double set of exercise boots!
 
lapetitebruyere said:
My Appaloosa boy tends to get mud fever (especially when his sharer is not pulling her weight when it comes to checking him and looking after him - but she's gone now!) and I was wondering if it was worth considering PE Turnout boots? He is turned out 24/7, but brought in most days for riding and hard feed and haylege.

Has anyone had any experience of turnout boots? Worth it? Any reasons why you wouldn't like them?

Thanks
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I used to turn out in boots but after rubs- sores-mud fever and chaffing I will now not turnout in boots. Sorry cannot help
 
lapetitebruyere said:
Thanks for the advice! His mud fever is not the worst I have ever seen in my time... It was worse when my old sharer was messing me around.... I thought he was coming in and getting his legs seen to - I always slather on the pig oil to keep the mud fever at bay, and this seems to more or less work with him, but it turned out he was running in the muddy field for days on end without his legs being seen to. Lesson learned about having a young sharer!! I will see how he fares for the rest of this month and then consider boots. It's a good tip about having multiple sets... the schools are so boggy that I even need a double set of exercise boots!
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Clear every last spot of mud fever before using the boots. The neoprene sweats the leg a little and if you have a tiny sore patch the mud fever will whoosh away again.

If you start using them at the beginning of wet conditions and on a horse with no existing soreness problems they will be a real help to the management of healthy legs. I would also advise to buy the best you can afford. I learnt the hardway when I cut corners and bought a cheaper pair. They did not fit well and were not shaped around the fetlock/pastern area. The mud went straight underneath and up the leg.

The better quality ones are well shaped and often have a reinforced area at the back of the fetlock. Fitting them is crucial too, you have to put them on firmly, almost thinking they are too tight, they give as they warm.
 
Nope. My friends mare showed the signs on mud fever, we went and got lots of barrier cream (even vaseline works whilst being cheap to put on a couple of times a day) mud boots aren't a good idea if they live out, as the legs will need to be bone dry and clean before you can put the boots on, then they still have to be taken off - so legs can still get wet and muddy. Plus if you get a little bit of mud or a pebble inside it'll rub all day/night and end up with a sore.

Best to clean the legs, use a mud guard wash, dry well, leave to air for a while (in stable or dry ground) then apply a good barrier cream. X
 
I wouldn't advise boots. If your boy has mud fever you need to get the air to it and keep the legs as dry and clean as possible. If he was stabled you could look at Fabtek's Pastern Wraps, haven't used them myself but they have a website etc, they are specifically designed for treating mud fever. Have had success with a cream i got from my vet called Fucibet when the Flamazine wasn't working but also had to keep legs clean and dry as possible and put the cream on daily and it still took 6 weeks to go. My vet said you just have to be persistent with mud fever ie treat it daily. Good luck, I hope it clears up soon for you.
 
A lot of people swear by the NAF supplement Mudguard. To get the best results you need to start feeding it before the mud fever season sets in, but I believe it greatly improves the condition if fed when they already have it.
 
I think the biggest thing is having enough pairs so you can always put clean one on so not exactly a cheap option! Also I it wont work if he's out 24/7. Personally I hate them and would never use them. A lady on the yard I'm on uses them and personally don't see the point when she doesn't wash them often enough so the insides are covered in mud and old cream etc - just what you want to be trapping against skin with mud fever...NOT!
 
Im a convert, I used to think what an awful idea but I have to say they are brill. I only use them for daily turnout and he comes in with mud free, dry legs and our fields are bad. Could do with 2 sets as they come in soaked and full of mud. Best thing Ive used for mudrash is Fungatrol, its fantastic. Im a believer of not washing legs which is impossible at the moment but these boots mean I dont have too. I have the Premier Equine ones.
 
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